Designing a Control Frances Yin Wang Project One Introduction to Interaction Design Spring 2015 School of Design Carnegie Mellon University
Introduction This process book describes my solution to design a waste compacting control for garbage cans in the kitchen area in the Graduate Design Studio. In this book, I will walk you through the process of how I arrived at my solution to designing the touchless control button from first identifying the problem, to brainstorming a workable idea, to the final development of the control. I will also explain the users, the interaction, the typical scenario of using the control, as well as the potential future implementation.
Description The control I designed is a touchless button with LED light status bar that is situated on the surface of the existing trash cans in the kitchen area in Graduate Design Studio at CMU School of Design. The button controls the compacting function inside the trash can. When the user, mostly graduate students and professors, sees that the trash can is almost full, they can simply trigger the compacting function by waving their hands on top of the button. The LED status bar surrounded the button indicates the remaining space inside the trash can. When they all turn gray, that means there is no more space to compact any more and a new trash bag needs to be replaced.
The Control Discoverability: size: 2.5 inches in diameter — slightly larger in proportion to the surface size of the trash can in order that users find it right away. The motion detect sensor has a maximum range of approximately 12 inches. signage: the hand waving icon is widely adopted in many occasions, especially home and office appliances, as a sign indicating “hover over and wave” action. It creates a mental familiarity for users. position and color: the button is located on the top right corner of the trash can. With simple green sign on white background and green LED status bar surrounded it, it calls users’ attentions to use it when needed. The “emptying trash” sign on the bottom also tells first time users what this button is used for.
LED status bar indicates remaining “compact” capacity
touchless control with waving sign & motion detect sensor
sign indicates “compact” function
Rules and Feedbacks: 1. Wave to trigger the “compacting” action, once the “compact” function is triggered, the user will hear the machine sound inside the trash can and see trash going down. They will know the “compacting” is stopped when the sound stops. 2. Green LED light status bar indicates the “compact” capacity. Once a new trash bag is placed, the lights will all turn green. The less the green is, the less room it is left for compacting. When it all turns gray, a new trash bag needs to be replaced. 3. Ideally, the button’s power source comes from solar energy. Since it stands next to the window, it should have always have power. But it comes with backup batteries too. In some extreme cases, if both the solar and battery power runs out, the green hand wave sign in the middle will turn gray so users will know it’s out of function. It’s time to change battery or call for maintenance.
Scenario Storyboarding Let me walk you through a typical scenario of how the control can be used. Jack is a graduate student at CMU school of design. During lunch time, Jack always gets takeout food from one of the food trucks on campus and eats in the kitchen in the grad studio. Often times, when Jack finishes eating, he finds the trash can is full with all the lunch containers people already threw in there. Jack was annoyed. Today, Jack finds out the touchless control button on the surface of the trash can. He waves above the waving sign and hears a low machine sound. Instantly, the trash can starts to compact automatically and stops within a few seconds. Without even touch the trash can, Jack is now able to throw trash in there. Jack is happy.
storyboard sketches on paper
Process The problem: The problem I was trying to solve is the inefficient use of trash can in the kitchen area in Graduate Design Studio. The targeted users are mainly students and professors who share the studio space during school hours. Based on my observation and conservations with some students, I find out that the most common type of waste that get thrown in the silver trash cans are empty lunch containers, beverage containers, disposable utensils, paper bags, etc. as there is another specific trash can for compostable waste next to it. Hence, I believe there is an opportunity to improve the whole user experience by designing a control that initiates the compaction function of the waste.
The development: My initial thoughts were to design two controls for the trash can. One for control the hole size, another one for compacting the waste. Then, I narrowed it down to the latter because it has the potential to be more efficient in solving the problem we have in the kitchen. I went through quite a few iterations and finally landed on the idea of this touchless button with LED lights as I believe it has certain mental and habitual familiarity that can generate a friendly user experience. At the same time, I take into consideration not-so-common situations, such as holding trash on both hands, where the touchless gesture will be delightful. While designing the control, I also kept in mind energy saving, sustainability and efficiency as well as people’s wish of having a clean environment even around trash can.
designing of the control button
The future implementation: When looking beyond the graduate studio and the school setting, I believe there is also a potential to further the implementation of this touchless button in places like restrooms in hotels, airports, etc., especially for those trash cans where people throw used paper towels. It will largely increase the efficiency use of the trash cans.